We’re nearly a week away from March, and Oregon basketball finds itself in an enviable position: near the top of the Pac-12 Conference. @@http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/BasketballM/Standings.aspx@@
The Ducks (19-8, 10-5 Pac-12) are tied with Arizona (19-9, 10-5) for fourth place in the standings. Even better, Oregon holds the primary tiebreaker over the Wildcats with a 59-57 win in Tucson on Jan. 14. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=235&SPSID=4294@@
And in the Pac-12, remaining in one of the conference’s first four slots is a priority. That top quartet earns a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament, meaning they avoid the lunacy of playing four high-pressure games over four days at the Staples Center. Simply put, having an automatic berth into the quarterfinals is crucial if a team wants to make a deep run in Los Angeles.
Oregon is nearly there. If it can hold off Arizona, UCLA (15-12, 8-6) and Stanford (18-9, 8-7) over the next three games, a first-round bye is in the bag. But the question remains: How can the Ducks get a boost and close out Pac-12 play on a high note?
Honestly, the Ducks have room for improvement in a number of areas. But if there is one simple change that could significantly improve the team’s odds, it’s an increased role for reserve forward Olu Ashaolu. The move would give Oregon the consistent, energetic inside presence they’ve been lacking all season while sacrificing little in other areas of the game.
I think we can all agree that — for an unheralded player in his first year with the program — Ashaolu has performed well this year. He’s been a spark plug off the bench, and has gotten to the basket and free-throw line frequently while averaging just under 20 minutes per contest. @@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/MBasketball/2011-12-stats/HTML/ORE.HTM@@
But in my opinion, he’s also been underused. Though I realize Ashaolu played for Louisiana Tech last season, he arrived in Eugene with a pretty impressive resume. Ashaolu put up averages of 14.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 30.9 minutes per game in 2010. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4295&SPID=235&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205185494&Q_SEASON=2011@@
But Olu did play in the Western Athletic Conference. So all those numbers represent is marginal production against weak competition, right? Well, not so fast.
Ashaolu’s 9.4 rebounds ranked 38th in the NCAA and was the most averaged in a season at Louisiana Tech since current NBA star Paul Millsap finished 2005-06 with 13.3 per game. Ashaolu also had 16 double-doubles (19th in the NCAA) while shooting 52.8 percent from the field (45th in the NCAA).
But the case for more playing time for Ashaolu extends into his time with the Ducks at well. Ashaolu is clearly one of the more efficient players on offense for Oregon, shooting 55.4 percent — clearly eclipsing every other player on the roster. And while he does struggle at the free throw line (52 percent), he earns enough attempts in his limited minutes to make up for a poor stroke.
But to really gauge whether Ashaolu deserves a bigger role, we must compare him to the other forwards with whom he’s competing for minutes.
Olu is a better defender than both Carlos Emory and Jeremy Jacob, who collectively play more than 31 minutes per game for the Ducks. And although you could argue that Emory and Tyron Nared (17 minutes per game) stretch the defense, their erratic shooting from long range hinders the team more than it aids it. Even more surprisingly, despite a marked size disadvantage, Ashaolu grabs more boards per minute on the court than center Tony Woods (18.2 mpg).
Overall, Olu provides something that Oregon needs: an efficient source of inside points on offense and a steady hand on defense.
I’m not saying that Olu necessary deserves a starting role or a massive increase in playing time. I’m not even saying that his numbers will balloon if he does get more minutes. But if Dana Altman can find just a few more opportunities for the veteran forward to get on the court, his team will reap rewards in multiple facets of the game. With the Pac-12 Tournament fast approaching, that’s something worth reaching for.